You've probably all had enough of hearing about Rachida Dati. Moi aussi. And President Sarkozy too, apparently. Still, there seems no end to our being force-fed Dati: her Dior gowns, her mysterious pregnancy, her blitz maternity leave, which had European feminists up in arms and now her removal from the government after reassuring the press that, non, non, we were mistaken, she was staying at the helm of the justice ministry for the rest of the year. Well, it seems she's just been sacked. Or rather, she's chosen to leave to fight a European battle for the president.

Two weeks after giving birth, a week after returning to work, a few days after a cabinet reshuffle, she was removed and offered no consolation prize other than the subaltern position of No 2 on the UMP's list for the next European elections. It looks as if she's been disgraced, simply written off, removed from the presidential court and from the heart of power.

One could argue: Sarkozy made her, so it was in his power to "unmake" her. She's his creature, after all. Except in a republic, the president really shouldn't be allowed to act like a monarch. I can hear some of you say that the French republic is all but a mirage and, really, a disguised monarchical system. I must admit that Sarkozy does everything he can to create an autocratic illusion.

For a moment though, let's forget about Dior, the good looks and the unknown genitor. What we should be reading in the European press, which seems fascinated by Dati's every move, is the mess she has left at the ministry of justice. Her authoritarian style, but most importantly the "reforms" she has introduced have been denounced by every profession in the French legal system: from judges to lawyers, magistrates and the police. Rushed, ill-conceived and contradictory changes have been passed without negotiation, let alone talks with those in charge of applying the law on a daily basis.

Thursday's national general strike should shed some light on her legacy and provide a wider perspective on Sarkozy's achievements after 18 months in power. It won't be a pretty sight.